Monday, February 22, 2010

London Day 4

To start Day 4, we used our bus tour tickets once more.
As Zuni is so helpfully demonstrating above, this tour had a recorded program instead of a live tour guide. But we still learned some fun facts...And saw this sign which proved I was meant to be in London. And perhaps I'm meant to go to Paris next? Right?!There are only 12 of these stations left in the city, but these little green huts are where Londoners used to flag down a horse and carriage 'taxis.' The modern taxis have a lot more horse power.
The next stop was Borough Market. This outdoor market is only open on select days and the vendors only sell food. You can buy produce or chocolate covered nuts (I bought WAY too many of these 'cause I didn't understand just how much I meant when I said "I'll take a scoop of both of these") or fresh fish or...
A sausage and onion sandwich from Boston Sausage (Fix) and a Chicken of Aragon pie from the Pieminister (Rachel). The major bummer was that they only had wooden utensils. It was like eating off a popsicle stick. Which, if you know my fear of unfinished wood, was so creepy I get the chills just thinking about it.

After eating to our fill, we went across town to Parliament and Westminster Abbey. Sorry to spoil the surprise for you locals, but soon there should be a picture of us in the paper.
We've often joked that Fix and his friend Stephen should start a church together and call it St. Stephens. Across from Big Ben is a pub by that name.
Next stop was Westminster Abbey. Susanna wasn't feeling well so she went back to her apartment and rested while Fix and I slowly took in all that the Abbey had to offer - including a prayer service in the shrine of St. Edward the Confessor.
I'd show you some pictures from the inside but their "no pictures" policy is just as strict as their policy on gum.
Back outside again, I posed with my birthday buddy, Honest Abe.
The tower of Big Ben is just gorgeous at sundown.
We went back over to St. Stephen for a mini-date. This pub was a super nice spot to relax and put our feet up.
Coca-Cola. The pause that refreshes.
We walked up past 10 Downing Street (where the Prime Minister lives) and the Horses Guards (unfortunately the horses were already indoors for the night) to Trafalgar Square.
Then we cut over to Piccadilly Circus, where we shopped for cheap souvenirs and caught the Underground back to Zuni's apartment.

1 comment:

Fix said...

I'm making a halo over my head in the St. Stephen's shot...that probably ought to be explained.